Stars in my eyes!

I can't tell you how excited I am today! I have been asked to join Chrissie and Mandi at Less Is More as guest designer this week and I feel so utterly honoured! Regular readers of my blog will know that I've been a staunch LiMette pretty much from the word go. Clean and simple is my favourite style of stamping and the wonderful challenges the ladies set each week kickstart my mojo every time - I've definitely lost the urge to lie in on Saturday mornings!

This week the challenge is to create a card using the theme 'stars' and I've come up with a couple of ideas. The first is a Christmas card using the dashing Dasher:

The night sky is made by scribbling with markers on an acrylic block, spritzing with water and stamping onto Whisper White card stock. (You have to be careful not to use too much water or the card stock will warp - you could try putting it under some heavy books overnight if it does!) When it had completely dried, I stamped Dasher in Basic Black ink and, after cleaning the stamp thoroughly, I used my stamp-a-majig and a marker to add extra stars from his antlers to the sky. The centres of the stars were dotted carefully with the fine end of a versamark pen, then heat embossed in silver. Come and have a closer look:

I got very excited heat-embossing the stars - it was like watching real stars coming out! When I'd finished, I added three Basic Rhinestones for a bit of extra sparkle. The Dasher panel is mounted on vellum then attached to a card base made out of Stampin' Up's gorgeous new Brushed Silver card stock. I love this stuff - it's not overly shiny and has a rather classy finish.

The second card was great fun! I've been thinking for a while now about teaming a magic wand with a 'birthday wishes' sentiment and the stars theme seemed the perfect opportunity. The result was this bright, easy-to-post, one-layer card:

I started with the sentiment from Petite Pairs, drew a wand using a ruler and marker, then added bright stars using a stamp-a-majig for position. That's it - so quick and simple but (I hope!) effective. 

Supplies needed for these cards:

DASHER CARD

Stamps: Dasher, Contempo Christmas (sentiment)

Ink: Basic Black, Real Red

Card stock: Brushed Silver, Vellum, Whisper White

Other: Acrylic block, markers, versamark pen, silver embossing powder, heat tool

BIRTHDAY WISHES CARD

Stamps: Season of Joy (for the star), Petite Pairs (sentiment)

Ink: Melon Mambo
Card stock: Naturals Ivory
Other: Markers, stamp-a-majig

I'd love to order any of these supplies for you and I can have them delivered to your address in the UK. I am committed to providing excellent customer service and am always happy to help and advise. Just send me an email or give me a call on 01280 820593. 

We've been away in Tynemouth for a few days, romping about in unexpected sunshine, but I'm back today and will be coming round soon to see all the fabulous starry creations you've come up with! See you later!

Hugs,

Another Christmas card - using Dasher

What a handsome chap our Dasher is! I've taken him out for another airing today and this is the result:

Doesn't he look regal? I can never resist putting rhinestones in his antlers! I think I've said before how much I love neutrals with a flash of colour - and of course the colours of choice at this time of year are Real Red and Old Olive. 

Here's how to make this card:

• Stamp Dasher on a scrap of Very Vanilla card stock using Basic Black ink. Trim the card stock to about 6cm square, keeping Dasher on the right of the panel. Cut a piece of Cherry Cobbler card stock half a centimetre larger than this and mount Dasher onto it.
• Rip a post-it note and use it as a mask over the 'snow' at Dasher's feet. Sponge Sahara Sand ink over the rest of the panel. Discard the mask.
• Make a 9cm square card base out of Sahara Sand card stock. Ink up the En Français background stamp and decorate the card front. Attach the Dasher panel to the top right-hand corner.
• Cut some branches using the two-step bird punch and arrange them at the bottom left-hand corner of the Dasher panel.
• Stamp a sentiment in Real Red ink and cut round it with paper snips. Fix this on top of the branches with dimensionals. Add a poinsettia-style flower and some sparkle to Dasher's antlers.

Supplies

Stamps: En Français, Dasher, Contempo Christmas (sentiment)

Ink: Basic Black, Sahara Sand, Real Red

Card stock: Sahara Sand, Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla, Old Olive, Real Red

Other: Basic rhinestones, Old Olive brad, two-step bird, Boho Blossoms punches

Now that my daughter's birthday celebrations are over for another year she tells me that we can start thinking about Christmas... So there we are - it's official! Christmas is definitely creeping up on us now! My diary is looking rather hectic but if you would like to book a stamping party with me before Christmas I will find room for you. Just click here to send me an email.

Hope you're having a good week.

Do pop back tomorrow for more Christmas inspiration!

Christmas card - using Dasher

One of the most popular stamps in the Stampin' Up catalogue is Dasher. I'm not surprised - he's so handsome that people fall in love with him at once! He comes as a large single stamp and costs only £7.95. To order him, click here to email me. Here's what I've done with him today:

I really like this neutral colour palette with flashes of colour and, although you can't see them very well in the photo, the rhinestones in Dasher's antlers sparkle beautifully. My observant regular readers might notice yesterday's cut-out sentiment  reappearing today - I love this look and the sentiment is incredibly easy to cut out!

How to make this card:

• Cut an 8cm square piece of Crumb Cake card stock.
• Using a piece of torn scrap paper as a mask, sponge in some snow using Whisper White craft ink. Sponge the edges of the card stock too. Craft ink remains wet for longer than dye ink but a quick blast with a heat gun speeds things along!
• Ink Dasher up with Basic Black ink and stamp him onto the snow on the right of the card.
• Fix three basic rhinestones to his antlers and give him an eye with a white gel pen.
• Wrap Old Olive 1/8" taffeta ribbon around the left of the card and secure with tape.
• Stamp a sentiment onto a scrap of Whisper White card stock using Real Red ink and cut it out. Attach it across the ribbon using dimensionals.
• Cut a piece of Basic Black card stock 18cm x 9cm. Score and fold it in half to make a 9cm square card blank and adhere the main panel to it.

Supplies

Stamps: Dasher, Contempo Christmas (sentiment)

Ink: Basic Black, Real Red, Whisper White craft ink

Card stock: Crumb Cake, Basic Black, Whisper White

Other: Basic rhinestones, 1/8" taffeta ribbon in Old Olive

Well it's Friday and time to plan for the weekend. And talking of planning, it's my lovely daughter's birthday next week! We were chatting about getting older and I asked her where she saw herself in three years' time. "A bit taller," she said promptly. "And hopefully with nicer clothes!" She is an expert in living in the present and, after all, there's plenty of time to think of the future!

Have a great weekend!